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TEXT: LUKE 2:25-35 | A FORGOTTEN CHRISTMAS CHARACTER
INTRO
ILLUSTRATION: There are some things that just go with Christmas.
We can do a chain response to words...
If I say, Peanut butter and… Jelly
Milk and… cookies
Handsome… Kyle
It’s the same with Christmas
If I say Christmas you might say...
Cookies
Lights
Trees
Gifts
Movies
EXPLANATION: When we think of the story of the first Christmas, we have certain people that we immediately think of
Mary and Joseph
Shepherds
Angels
Wise men
Herod
Maybe Zacharias and Elizabeth
You might even think of the animals before you think of the person we are looking at this morning.
The man we are looking at this morning is just as much a part of the Christmas story as any of the others we mentioned.
In fact, he saw the Baby Christ before the wise men did.
And what he had to say is powerful in foreshadowing the life and death of Christ.
But no one ever talks about him.
But I hope after today, when you think of the first Christmas, you’ll think of all those other names… but I hope you’ll also think of this man’s name.
And more importantly, I hope you’ll think of what he had to say.
Today, for a few moments we are going to find our way into the city of Jerusalem, and enter through the doors of the temple, and listen to the words from a very important man in the Christmas story.
Let’s listen to the words of Simeon.
And let’s learn some things from the reaction of this important character in the Christmas story!
V.25-27, WHO SIMEON WAS
EXPLANATION: Some have said that Simeon was a servant in the temple, possibly even a priest like Zacharias.
This may have been true, but the Bible doesn’t actually tell us that.
In fact the Bible says very little about who this man Simeon was.
But what it does say about him is powerful.
HE WAS PROBABLY OLD (V.26)
We don’t know with absolute certainty because the Bible doesn’t give us his age, but from the text it would seem that he was probably an old man.
He was promised that he wouldn’t see death until he saw the Lord’s Christ… the Messiah
When he does hold Christ his first response is v.29
“I’m ready to go to heaven.”
APPLICATION: I’m thankful there is no age restriction on who can be used by God.
You might be the oldest person in this room, but God still has a purpose for you!
God still wants to use you!
He used Simeon as we will see this morning in a few moments to deliver a power message.
HE WAS A DEVOTED FOLLOWER (V.25B)
The Bible says he was “just, devout, and waiting”
Simeon had a good testimony.
When people saw Simeon around town they may have teased him because of the way he walked at his advanced age
They may have gave him a hard time because they had to repeat things to him because of his hearing loss
They no doubt had to help him do things because his body was probably riddled with pain from his age.
But there was no one that could question his devotion to his God
He was a committed follower to his Lord.
I kinda think that after the snickers about old Simeon ended, there was challenge that followed in everyone’s mind because here was someone who was the real deal.
A real committed, devout, just, patient, follower of the Lord.
APPLICATION: We could certainly use a few more of those today.
Some followers of Christ that are just the real deal!
That have a testimony with those at work that there is just something different about you.
That just loves the Lord and His church and can’t get enough of it.
Always looking for a way to serve… that’s who Simeon was!
And we could sure use a few more of those today.
HE WAS SPIRIT LED (V.25D-27)
3 Times in 3 verses the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit was involved in Simeon’s life.
In v.25 that Bible says, “The Holy Ghost was upon him.”
v.26, the Holy Ghost revealed something to him
v.27, The Spirit led him to the temple.
The Holy Spirit was a big part of Simeon’s life.
APPLICATION: Is the Spirit of God a big part of your life?
Let’s just be real, most of us haven’t even thought of the Holy Spirit in our life this week, let alone today!
The Bible tells us when you get saved the Holy Spirit comes and lives inside of you.
ILLUSTRATION: A little girl was riding home from church with her dad and he could tell something was troubling her.
“What’s wrong” the dad asked
“Today in class my teacher told us that when we get saved, Jesus comes into our heart.”
Not really understanding the problem the dad said, “Ok”
“Well, if Jesus is living in my heart, wouldn’t he stick out a little bit?”
APPLICATION: That young lady was on to something.
When Jesus is in your heart, he should stick out a little bit.
If you have the Holy Spirit living within you, you should be living differently!
Paul tells us in Galatians 4:3-5
He goes on to ask the question then:
No when you accept Christ as your Savior you are no longer under the bondage of sin… under the bondage of this world.
You have the Holy Spirit living within you and that ought to change things.
Paul goes on in the same book to tell us about this battle that we so often face.
And then he tells us there are outflows of the life that is not given to the Spirit, but rather submits to the flesh:
These works are things that those that don’t know Christ do, and yet the Christian that isn’t controlled by the Spirit will find themselves in the same pit of doing these things.
But then he goes on to share what the Christian who is led by the Spirit looks like:
Friend, is the Spirit of God a big part of your life?
He should be?
When is the last time you asked for the Spirit of God to lead you?
To lead you in the decisions you are making about work?
To lead you as you are parenting your kids
To lead you as you work through struggles with your spouse?
Simeon was led by the Spirit and it led him right to Christ.
And the truth is, one way to know if you are being led by the Spirit is if you are getting closer to Christ or are you further away?
Because the Spirit will never lead you away from Jesus.
We can learn much from the very little we know about Simeon…
He was probably old - Praise God He can use anyone at any age
He was devoted - The real deal
He was Spirit Led - May Jesus stick out of our life as we are led by the Spirit.
V.28-35, WHAT SIMEON SAID
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